The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1887-04-24

ma DRY fashion.
The kerosene lamp was lighted, when
she reached the room where the balls of
carpet rags were piled up John Fair
weather himself was leaning against the
wooden mantle arch with his elbow in
dangerous proximity to the case of dried
bu teihies, but her aunt was nowhere to
be seel.
''Shs has gone upstairs" the young
man explained in answer to Mary AIMS
bewidered look, 'to get bag of hops for
old Mrs. Hubbard's neuralgia. Are you
i'll. Mary Ann? You look so white and
weary"
With senlle authority he took the tea
kettle from her hand and set it on the
stove, Mary Ann hslplessly regarding him
the while.
How iall and straight and handsome he
was! How pleasant shone the light from
his genial, hazel eyesl How dearly she
had learned TO love him! And now it
must all lie undone againl Was it not al
most wicked TO allow herself to Hook ad-
m;riDgly upon the face of the man who
belens ed TO AL "a Marston?
With these though in her heart it was
no wonder that her expression grew frigid
as an icicle, Sue paid no heed to his ques-
ton
Miss Mars,on was out by the well just
now" said she. you will find her
there"
Miss Marston, eb?' said Mr.. Fair
weather with provoking equanlmity.
That reminds me-you haven't told me
yet what 20 think of our family arrange
ments. Were you surprised?9
Mary Ann looked at him in amazement,
almost in anger.
"Of course was surprised" said she.
sBut," gathering all her presence of mind,
don't know why. 1t is no business of
minep
But it is, though" said John Fair
weather. 1T has only driven me, little
sooner than 1 otherwise anticlpated,to ask
| on to listen 10 my suit. Miss Aida must
nst imagine thst She is the only person in
| the world who can get married.
| Mary Ann drew hsrsef up.
''Mr. Fairweather," said she, 81 must
beg you 10 remember yourself, We are
not Mcrmons here. Neither are you any
relation TO B,uebeard. In this country d
man can have but one wife"
Mr.. Fairweather lookeI puzzled.
An indisputabie fact" said lie. "But
| know of no one who is csntradicting it."
"Hew-how dare you insult me BY such
words as these?' cried poor Mary Ann.
'.You that are engaged to Miss Aida Mar
| ston!D
"But I am not engaged to Miss Aida
| Marston"
"Mr. Falrweatheri'
II am not, indeed, he said. "Dear
little Mary Ann, do not look at me with
such incredulcus eyes! Miss Aida Mar
ston is affiaaced to my father. She is TO
be my step-mother next month; and as
would naturally. under the existing cir
cumstaaces, prefer a home of my own,
want you to be its household angel"
Not aecther word was spoken. Mary
Ann soft eyes, bfimming over with G adj
tears, wers lifted to John's face.
She stole toWard him and bid her Grim
| son cheek against his shoulder; his arm
frightened itself, in the most natural man
ner in the word, around her waist.
And when Miss Fossett came down
stairs with the bag OF hops, the two were
busiiy engaged ia picking up the balls Of
carpet-rags which had rolled ANY, in
every direction.
at was the cat aunty," explained
Mary Ann. She was asleep in the very
middle Of the, balls and when she got up
and stretched herself"
Cats are dreadful bother when there
is work arouudH said Miss Fessett.
And after John Fairweather had gone
home with his stepmotner-elect MARY Ann
wasn't the least bit in the world jealous of
Miss Aida Marston now, the girl crept
out in the dew and Starlight to pick up The
dried rosebuds and the scented geranium
leaves
"Oh, what fool was" she whispered
softly to herself, "and how happy | am at
last.''
She helped Mrs. Marstsn with her
dresses, after all; and when the rag car
pet was sewn and woven in RAINBOW
stripes. it occupied the place of honor on
Mrs Jshn Farweather's dainty kitchen
floor.
''Isn't it pre- ty, John" she cried. the
first day it was laid down
THE plettiest thing ever saw in my
life" aid Mr.. Fsirweather, looking
straight into his wife's face.
And Mrs. Fairweather laughed and
blushed and said:
Nov, john don't be a gooscr-[Sslur-
dav Night